Alexander brando



(No Model.)

A. BRANDON.

OAR STRAP.

NITED STATES ALEXANDER BRANDON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-STRAP.

SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,137, dated Ivarch 29, 1887.

Application filed January 26, 1887. Serial N'o. 225,589. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, ALEXANDER BRANDON, of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Straps, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of Athis specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one of my improved car-Straps or supporting-cords suspended from the usual supporting-bar in a street-car; Fig. 2, a longitndinal section on an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner of securing the cord and its attachments. Fig. 3 illustrates on a still further enlarged scale the metallic blank from which the clamp and sleeve employed in my device are formed, and Fig. at is a View in perspective of the blank bent or rolled into the finished form.

My invention is designed as a substitute for the Straps ordinarily found depending from a rod or other point of attachment in the upper portion of the cars upon street-railways to afford a supporting-hold for passengers compelled to stand np therein. Its object is to provide a neat, secure device which may be easily grasped with the hand with greater comfort and ease than said ordinary straps, and which shall be more cleanly and more attractive in appearance. This object is attained in my invention by the use of a single straight round cord fitted at its lower end with a handle and terminating at its upper end in a strap or band adapted to be looped aroand the usual supporting-bar, and whose opposite free end is secured within a sleeve or clasp,which serves to conceal the joint of the strap and cord, all as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a round fiexible cord of any suitable material and color, but preferably made of woven strands encircling a central core, such as is commonly used for harness check-reins.

B is a handle of any suitable material, but preferably turned out of black Walnut. This handleB is longitudinally perforated with an aperture adapted to embrace closely the cord A, and which is enlarged toward the lower end, preferably so as to form an inner concentric shoulder, c, as shown in Fig. 2.

The cord A, after being passed through the aperture in the handle B, is enlarged at the end next to the shoulder c, either by means of a thread or fine cord, t, whipped around it, (see Fig. 2,) or otherwise, so as to engage the shoulder c, and thereby prevent the end of the cord from slipping through the aperture, the portion of the aperture below the shoulder forming a recess within which this enlarged end of the cord will be wholly concealed. The outer or lower enddof the handle is closed after the cord has thus been secured therein by means of a stopper, D, fitt-ing therein and forming a neat finish thereto.

E represents a metallic sleeve and clasp having a tapering body, f, terminating at its upper end in two parallel flat jaws, g g. This clasp may be formed from a single piece of metal, cut in substantially the shape slown in Fig. 3, by simply rolling or bending the extended portion h of the blank into a tubular' forn, so that the edges i t' shall meet, the jaws g g being kept flat and brought into a parallel position opposite each other, as shown in Fig. 4.

rfhe cord A is passed through the sleeve E, (whose diameter is such as to embrace the cord closely,) and its free end may be made fast therein by an enlargement thereof, or preferably be firmly attached, by stitching or otherwise, to the end m of a flat band or strap, J, of woven webbing, or of leather, or other suitable material, the joint between the two being drawn down between the jaws g g, so as to be concealed thereby.

For use the free end n of the strap .I is passed over the usual rod, K, secured below the ceiling of the car, and is then inserted between the jaws g g of the sleeve E,parallel with its opposite end, m, and firmly held and secured by means of atransverse bolt, P, which, being inserted through central apertures in the jaws and through the cord A and the two ends m a of the strap J, is finall y secured by a nut, R, on its threaded end. A rivet may be substituted for the bolt and nut, the bolt being preferred in order to permit of a ready detachment of the strap and cord when reqnired. Vhen the cord is made fast in the sleeve E independently of the strap, the bolt or rivet serves to hold and secure both ends m and a of the strap.

I am aware that a spiral spring incased in ICO a longitudinal case and provided with a handle depending from a cord attached to the upper end of the spring has heretofore been attached to a strap adapted to buckle over the supporting-rod, so that the handle may depend as a hold for passengers. My improvement differs therefrom in that it dispenses with buekles and springs'and all complieations,and by its novel construction furnishes not only a Very simple, cheap, and secure supporting device, but one which is very convenient, as Well as neat and ornamental in appearance.

I contemplate carrying the round cord A in an unbroken length through the sleeve and clamp E, and after passing it over the rod K securing its free end Within the jaws of the clamp, substantially in manner as herein described With reference to the strap J, as an equivalent substitute for said flat band or strap J; but I prefer the use of the flat band as-a means of attaching the device to the rod K.

I 'claim as my invention- 1. The Within-described improved car-strap,

consisting, substantially, of a round cord, in combination with a sleeve through which it is passed, clamping-j aws formed integrally with said sleeve, a strap or band extending above the sleeve to pass over a supporting-rod and Whose free end is confined by the jaWs,a trans- V verse bolt or rivet to secure the same,-and a handle fitted upon the lower' free end of the cord, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth. i

2. The combination, in a car-strap, of the tapering sleeve E, formed in one with thejaws g g, in combination with the round depending cord A and fiat supporting-strap J, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth. p

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEX. BRANDON. Witnesses:

S. A. STAVnRs. A. N. J EsBERA. 

